Trip Details
Dates
Sunday 9th – Saturday 15th May 2021
Participants
Christina Bailey, Daniel Fraser, Kevin Gray, Kynan Gray, Gerald Holmes, Agnetha Korevaar, Rhys Lamont, Jase Moss, Allison Paton, Mailee Stanbury, Rochelle Wiel, Steve Wiel, Tim Wiel (& Karen Holmes our driver)
Links
Trip Map
Trip Report
After doing the Heaphy Track in 2017 and reading so much about the Old Ghost Road we decided to do this new track in 2020 but along came a world-wide pandemic. The tramp plans were pulled out from under us when the track was closed and we had lockdowns. A reschedule for the following year … 2021 … was the go.
Sunday
We travelled through from Waihola leaving early morning through to a Murchison backpackers. Evening meal was pizza at the Backpackers restaurant before an early night before our early start the next morning.
Monday
Early breakfast and coffee from a local cafe before travelling through to Lyell to start the tramp. The weather was overcast with rain threatening late afternoon. Most of the crew started the tramp whilst a few of us relocated vehicles through to Westport with Karen our driver.
The climb from Lyell through to the first hut was a steady but easy climb at a constant grade. Beautiful benched track through beech forest with a few glimpses over the valley below through the trees at times. The first crew arrived mid afternoon with the “vehicle relocaters” not far behind. The quirky hut was a warm and cosy place to stay the night.
Tuesday
Tuesday morning started with drizzle that slowly got worse as the day progressed. From the Lyell Saddle Hut the climb up to the tops was steady again. By the time many of us got to the tops it was misty, raining and very cold. The shelter for lunch was much appreciated before pushing on for the Ghost Lake Hut.
It was a shame not to see the views along the tops having seen the photos online of what we should have been able to see.
The drop down to Ghost Lake Hut was intermingled with sleet and rain and very cold. But the hut was spacious and with the fire going quite warm.
That evening the fun started as we counted the bed bugs coming out of the walls towards us. Many choose to vacate the bunkrooms in preference of the main hut common space or the sleepouts to avoid the unwelcome attention from the bed bugs.
Wednesday
Wednesday morning we awoke to a light scattering of snow around the hut however the misty clag had lifted and the day was looking like it would be a good one. The track from Ghost Lake Hut winds down a spectacular ridge with stunning views into valleys on either side. This day was perhaps one of the most scenic of the trip. Stern Valley Hut was arrived at mid afternoon in a shady valley. Rhys taught us a new game called Skulls which was quite an addictive game to play.
Thursday
Thursday was a good frost to start with. This day was the most varied and the longest day of the tramp with a couple of elevation gains through “the boneyard”. The boneyard was a crazy location of limestone builders and amazing to walk through. Heading down to the Mokihinui River was long but the day had cleared to sunny skies.
Speciman Point hut was another scenic amazing place to stay on the final night of our tramp.
Friday
The final day of tramping had us tramping down the Mokihinui Gorge with some pretty cool and crazy bridges and benched track into the side of the gorge faces. We reached the end of the track in full sunshine and enjoyed just lazing around whilst we waited for the van to arrive.
Friday night we drove through to Greymouth to stay at the Top10 Holiday Park in some pretty nice digs.
Saturday
Saturday we drove home through Arthurs Pass and back to Waihola.
